The project is concerned with analyzing the development and function of spinal networks in the spinal cord of the chick embryo. One focus is the synaptic organization of the lumbosacral cord. A second interest is in the cellular and network mechanisms responsible for the genesis of spontaneous network activity. A third area is in establishing the function of spontaneous neural activity during development with particular reference to the control of gene expression. All experiments are performed on an isolated preparation of the spinal cord which is maintained in vitro.